Adjustable abdominal exercising apparatus



April 29, 1941. M. R. scHALL 2,240,228

ADJUSTABLE ABDOMINAL EXERCISINQ APPARATUS Filed June* 24, 4194() A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jvymehazz, I l BY ymfa- WITNESS ATTORNEYS Api-i129, 1941. M R. scHALL 2,240,223

ADJUSTABLE ABDOMINAL EXURCISING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l .MMILJEQMZZ ATTOR N EYS Patented Apr. 29, 1941 OFFICE ADJUSTABLE ABnoMINAL EXERCISING vAPPARATUS Y MyronR. Schall, Sacramento, Calif. Applicata@ June 24, 1940, serial No. 342,146

s Claims. (o1. 272-58) This invention relates to exercising apparatus, and its general object is to provide an apparatus for supporting the body of a person, and it is primarily designed for use in exercising the abdomen, to develop the muscles thereof, as Well as to remove excess fat therefrom, and such is brought about by simple pendulum-like swinging movements of the body, either from the hips down, or the hips up, it depending upon the desires of the user, and the apparatus is shaped to elevate and support the body in 4a manner to allow for free swinging movementthereof, with the hips acting as a pivot point, therefore it Will be seen that my apparatus materially aids in properly conditioning the abdomen, as well as in l,

developing the muscles of other parts of the body, including the arms and legs which can be brought into play during the swinging movements.

A further object is to provide an exercising apparatus that includes a pair of board-like sections hinged at one end for disposal in converging relation with respect to each other, from `the oor, and for relative movement to adjust the height of the apparatus, one of said sections being longer than the other for receiw'ng the body of the user, and the other `acting as supporting means for the rst or main section, and the sections are amply braced against any possibility of casual folding or collapsing.

Another object is to provide an exercising ap-V .f

paratus that includes anchoring means for the feet and hand gripping means, there being two adjustable anchoring means for the feet, one mounted on the pivot means of the sections and the other on the main section, so that the user can be anchored in various positions with respect to the apparatus.

A still further object is to provide an exercising apparatus that is simple in construction, in-

expensive to manufacture, and extremely eicient a .f

in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccom` the feet mounted and anchored4 in one of the anchoring means therefor.

Figure 2 is a similar view, with thej ankles mounted in the other anchoring means for the feet.

Fig-ure 3 is also a side elevation, with the apparatus adjusted to a different heightl from that shown `in Figures 1 and 2, and illustrates the position assumed by the user when gripping the hand anchoring means, to allow for free movement of either the upper and lower portions of the body. y

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus.

Figure 5 isa fragmentary top plan view, with the hand gripping means `and adjacent feet anchoring means in section, and with parts broken away. s Y

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 6-5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. i

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the bracing means for the sections.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be noted that my apparatus includes a relatively long board-like main section l f-or receiving- `the bodyv of the user and a relatively short board-like supporting section 2, the sections being made from wood or any other material suitable for the purpose. Fixed to the side edges of the supporting section 2 adjacent its upper end, as well as to project a considerable distance above said end for disposal in parallelism with each other, is a pair of hinge strips 3 having openings therein for the passage of headed pivot bolts 4 therethrough and which are threaded in they -side edges of the mainv section IV adjacent its upper end, for pivotally connecting the sections -together in converging relation with re spect to each other and for adjusting the height thereof with respect to the floor.

The ends of the sections are preferably rounded transversely of the length thereof and the lower end of the main section l rests upon the floor, while runners 5 are provided for .the lower end of the supporting section 2, the runners being relatively long and provided with flat floor engaging faces, and are pivotally mounted on bolts 6 threaded in the side edges of rthe supporting section 2 at the lower end thereof, With vspacing collars 'l between the side edges and the runners, so that upon movement of the supporting section, thebolts 6 willk turn in the runners, to allow positive engagement of the floor receiving surfaces of said runners, regardless of the position of the apparatus.-

threaded in the T-coupling I2, as well as tele scopically mounted in the tube I3. The tube I3 has a transverse opening therethrough for registering with any one of a plurality of transverse openings I5 in the tube I4 for receiving an eyed pin I6 for holding the sections Ain adjusted positions and consequently the apparatus at various elevations, as indicated in Figures 1 and 3.

One of the anchoring means for the feet, and which is shown as being in use in Figure 1, includes a pair of strips I'I having one of their ends pivotally mounted on the pivot bolts 4 and secured to and bridging the opposite ends thereof, is a rod I8 having threaded ends for nuts I9. Mounted on the rod is a pair of sleeves that are preferably made from rubber or other like material, and in order to hold this anchoring mean-s in pla-ce, when in use I provide telescopically mounted tubes 2I and 22, the upper tube 2I terminating in a flat eye 23 that is mounted on the rod I8 between washers 24 disposed between the sleeves 20. The lower end of the lower tube 22 is threaded in a T-coupling 25 that is mounted on a pivot bolt 26 bridging the arms of a U-bracket 2l that is fixed to the supporting section 2 adjacent its lower end, and centrally thereof, as best shown in Figure 4. The tubes 2I and 22 likewise have openings therein for disposal in registration with each othenvfor receiving a pin 28 to hold the anchoring means in various positions for use, as will be obvious upon inspection of Figure l, or out of use as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The pin 28 is connected to the supporting section by a flexible element such as a chain or the like, to prevent misplacement or loss thereof.

While the anchoring means just described is primarily designed for receiving the feet of the user, as shown in Figure 1, when the device is used for a bending exercise for the abdomen, it will be obvious that the said anchoring means can be used for other exercises, as the sleeves 20 provide convenient hand gripping means for any purpose whatsoever.

The other anchoring means for the feet, as best shown in Figure 2 is mounted on the main section I and is preferably in the form of a band surrounding the section I and made fromv a strip 29 of webbing having secured to the ends thereof strap portions 30 of leather provided with buckle fastening means 3I for adjusting the size of the band, as will be apparent. The anchoring band or strap is preferably slidably mounted on Athe sec-tion I so as to be adjusted at any position along the length thereof and is used merely by slipping the feet between the band and the section I, for disposal of the band on the ankles, as clearly shown in Figure 2, so that the feet lwill be securely anchored to allow the user to bend the entire upper portion of the body, for swinging the same forwardly and backwardly in a relatively long arc, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2.

In the use of the pivoted anchoring means for the feet, the user is seated upon the main section I and engages the toes with the sleeves 20, as shown in Figure l. When so positioned, the feet are securely anchored andthe user can swing the upper portion of the body from the hips and in an arc, indicated by the arrows in that figure.

The hand anchoring means for my apparatus includes sleeves 32 mounted on the pivot bolts 4 between the heads 33 thereof and Washers 34 bearing against the strips I1, and mounted on the sleeves 32 for frictionally fitting the same are socket grips 35 formed from rubber or the like.

The use of my apparatus with the hand anchoring means, is clearly shown in Figure 3 and allows the user to swing either the upper or lower portion of the body, with the upper end of the main section I acting as a fulcrum. However, it will .be 4understood .that the body may be bent at the hips for exercising the abdomen, in the same manner as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for use in exercising the abdomen of the user, comprising a relatively long board like section for the user to initially rest thereon, a second section hingedly connected to the rst section for supporting the latter and for disposal of both sections in converging relation from the floor, bracing means secured to and disposed between the sections and being adjustable to vary the inclination of the sections, means for holding the sections in adjusted positions, means whereby the user can be anchored to the apparatus to allow swinging movement of at least one portion of the body of thejuser from the hips, and floor engaging runners pivotally connected to the side edges of the second section adjacent to the lower ends thereof.

2. An apparatus for use in exercising the abdomen of the user, comprising a relatively long board like section for the user to initially rest thereon, a second section hingedly connected to the first section for supporting the latter and for disposal of both sections in converging relation from the floor, bracing means including telescopically mounted members having their outer ends pivotally connected to the inner faces of the sections for adjusting the inclination thereof, said members having openings therein for disposal in registration with each other, a pin receivable in any one of the registering openings to hold the sections in adjusted positions, and means whereby the user can be anchored to the apparatus to allow swinging movement of at least one portion of the body of the user from the hips.

3. An apparatus for use in exercising the body of the user, comprising a relatively long board likesection for the user to initially rest thereon, a relatively short board like section having one end hingedly connected to one end of the first section for supporting the latter and for disposal of both sections in converging relation from the floor, bracing means secured to and disposed botween the sections and being adjustable to vary the inclination of the sections, means for holding the sections in adjusted positions, and means pvotally associated with the upper end of the first section for receiving and anchoring the feet of the user with respect thereto to allow swinging movement of the upper portion of the body from the hips.

4. An apparatus for use in exercising the body of the user, comprising a relatively long board like section for the user to initially rest thereon, a second section connected to the first section for supporting the latter and for disposal of both sections in converging relation from the oor, means for anchoring the feet of the user with respect to the first section to allow swinging movement of the upper portion of the body from the hips, said anchoring means including a pair of strips pivotally connected to the iirst section, means secured to and bridging the strips for receiving the feet, telescopically mounted means for supporting and adjusting the position of the anchoring means and having one end secured to the bridging means and its opposite end to the second section, and means for holding the anchoring means in adjusted positions.

5. An apparatus for use in exercising the body of the user, comprising a relatively long board like section for the user to initially rest thereon, a second board like section connected to the rst section for supporting the latter and for disposal of both sections in converging relation from the noor, means for anchoring the feet of the user with respect to the first section to allow swinging movement of the upper portion of the body from the hips, said anchoring means including a pair of strips pivotally connected to the upper end of the iirst section upon opposite sides thereof, a rod secured to and bridging the strips, elastic sleeves mounted on the rod, telescopically mounted tubes, one of said tubes having its outer end pivotally connected to the rod and the other tube having its outer end pivotally connected to the second section adjacent the lower end thereof, said tubes having openings therein for disposal in registration and a pin receivable in any of the registering openings for supporting and holding the anchoring means in adjusted positions.

6. An apparatus for use in exercising the body of the user, comprising a relatively long board like section for the user to initially rest thereon, a second board like section, strips fixed to the opposite edges of the second section adjacent one end thereof and extending beyond said end, headed pivot bolts secured to and extending laterally from the opposite edges of the first section adjacent one of its ends and the strips being pivoted to the bolts for hingedly connecting the sections together for disposal of both sections in converging relation from the floor, bracing means secured to and disposed between the sections and being adjustable to vary the inclination of the sections, means for holding the sections in adjusted positions, and hand gripping means secured to the extending portions of the bolts whereby the user can anchor himself with respect to the apparatus to allow swinging movement of the body from the hips thereof with the upper end of the rst section acting as a fulcrum for the body.

MYRON R. SCHALL. 

